Prime-Time Ratings:
Wednesday 4/09/08

The following results are based on the fast affiliate ratings (Live Plus Same Day data)

-Total Viewers:
Fox: 17.60 million, CBS: 10.47, NBC: 6.99, ABC: 6.18, CW: 2.15

-Adults 18-49:
Fox: 6.7 rating/18 share, CBS: 2.8/ 7, ABC: 2.2/ 6, NBC: 1.9/ 5, CW: 1.0/ 3

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Note: Any prior rating results are based on the final nationals. Since the level of DVR penetration has increased from 13 percent at this same point last year to approximately 23 percent at present, the overall results may be negatively impacted.

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-Yesterday’s Winners:
American Idol: Idol Gives Back (Fox), Criminal Minds (CBS), CSI: NY (CBS)

-Honorable Mention:
Deal or No Deal (NBC), Primetime: The Last Lecture – A Love Story for Your Life (ABC)

-Yesterday’s Losers (Excluding Repeats):
Big Brother 9 (CBS), Pussycat Dolls Present: Girlicious (CW)

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-Ratings Breakdown:
American Idol: Idol Gives Back, the second annual telethon to raise awareness and funds to benefit six charities (the Children's Defense Fund, The Global Fund, Make It Right, Malaria No More, Save The Children, U.S. Programs and the Children's Health Fund) led Fox to another Wednesday victory. A distant second in total viewers and adults 18-49 was CBS, with ABC and NBC tied for the No. 3 and 4 spots. Last, of course, was the CW.

The 8-10 p.m. portion of American Idol: Idol Gives Back (which began at 7:30 p.m. ET) averaged 17.60 million viewers and a 6.7 rating/18 share among adults 18-49, with the half-hour breakdown as follows:

American Idol: Idol Gives Back (Fox)
8:00 p.m. Viewers: 16.91 million, A18-49: 6.2/18
8:30 p.m. Viewers: 17.40 million, A18-49: 6.6/18
9:00 p.m. Viewers: 17.79 million, A18-49: 6.8/17
9:30 p.m. Viewers: 18.28 million, A18-49: 7.2/18

While this is not anywhere near as strong as the regular edition of American Idol, it was still no doubt a force to reckon with.

CBS opened the evening with Big Brother 9 at a lackluster (and third-place) 6.05 million viewers and a 2.1/ 6 among adults 18-49 at 8 p.m. So long, James. But lead-out Criminal Minds perked up to a healthy (and second-place) 13.14 million viewers and a 3.3/ 8 in the demo at 9 p.m., followed by CSI: NY at an also dominant 12.24 million viewers and a 3.1/ 8 among adults 18-49 at 10 p.m. As good as that still is for CSI: NY, ratings for the drama are not what they used to be.

NBC got some mileage out of Deal or No Deal, with a second-place 9.61 million viewers and a 2.4/ 7 among adults 18-49 at 8 p.m. Comparably, that was an improvement of 3.35 million viewers and 14 percent among adults 18-49 over year-ago occupant Friday Night Lights (Viewers: 6.26 million; A18-49: 2.1/ 6 on April 11, 2007). Next on NBC was a repeat of Law & Order: Criminal Intent (Viewers: #4, 5.16 million; A18-49: #4, 1.5/ 4), followed by a repeat of renewed Law & Order at a third-place 6.19 million viewers and a 1.8/ 5 among adults 18-49 at 10 p.m.

ABC started out slow, but built as the night progressed with its combination of a repeat of Wife Swap (Viewers: #4, 4.55 million; A18-49: #4, 1.6/ 5), Supernanny (Viewers: #3, 5.77 million; A18-49: #3, 2.2/ 5) and 10 p.m. special, Primetime: The Last Lecture – A Love Story For Your Life (Viewers: #2, 8.21 million; A18-49: #2, 2.7/ 7). Worth noting for the Primetime special was growth out of Supernanny of 2.44 million viewers and 23 percent among adults 18-49.

The CW capped off the evening with a repeat of America’s Next Top Model (Viewers: #5, 2.41 million; A18-49: #5, 1.1/ 3) and sluggish Pussycat Dolls Present: Girlicious (Viewers: #5, 1.88 million; A18-49: #5, 0.9/ 2). I think it is time to conclude the Pussycat Dolls franchise, don’t you?

Source: Nielsen Media Research data

Presumably last year's Idol Gives Back was on par with the rest of the season because there was an elimination that night.

Primetime remains a sleeper success for ABC as they try to eat up time before the big guns return.

American Idol featured professional caliber performers and rating went down.

quote:

Originally posted by Obveeus:
American Idol featured professional caliber performers and rating went down.

That is very interesting isn't it? :-)

Can't wait for the new Office ep tonight.

Or the pointless argument over its ratings tomorrow.

How did Idol gives Back last year? Those numbers seem very low.

GLad to see CM up from last week

DOND was actually up .4 in the demo and 300,000 viewers against American Idol instead of Moment of Truth last wedensday. That's also interesting.

CSI:NY down in 600K and .5 in the demo? Why??

Criminal Minds was only down .1 in the demo and was actually up 300K in viewers. What gives?

Perhaps it was competition from Primetime vs. Men In Trees last week? That did miles better than MIT.

quote:

Originally posted by pisher:
Can't wait for the new Office ep tonight.

Or the pointless argument over its ratings tomorrow.

I'll definately be watching that and 30 Rock tonight... and DEFINATELY contributing to a pointless argument over both their ratings tomorrow. :-)

ABC: Did about as expected. Good usage of Primetime.
CBS: BB at average. CM held up reasonably well but remains down, while CSI:NY disappoints in its inability to grow despite less competition (and no Primetime is not a powerhouse).

NBC, CW, and Idol: Who Cares!?

As someone who watched the whole Idol event, I would have to say the constant repeating of the phone number - first as Idol Aid and then the numbers - was grating. I am guessing if people other than die-hard viewers passed by the program, they probably changed the channel pretty quickly.

I know it is a telethon and you have to give out the number, but I would have preferred it being on the bottom of the screen the whole time than to have it constantly rehashed verbally over-and-over.

Perhaps with the celebrities and professional performances the audience considered it more on par of an awards show than 'American Idol.'

Take that, record industry...

quote:

Originally posted by the128boy:

quote:

Originally posted by Obveeus:
American Idol featured professional caliber performers and rating went down.

That is very interesting isn't it? :-)

Despite lower than desired demos, ABC can't afford the gamble it would be taking by canceling Boston Legal. ABC's continued weak performance in the 10pm hour (Bachelor, DSM, Eli Stone, MiT, OR, Cashmere Mafia, Primetime, etc.) only solidify the need to keep Boston Legal's 10 million viewers around. Even B&S performed below 10 million without DH. I'll concede demo weakness, but why cancel a show that has a consistent viewership (and apparently high DVR numbers and high income viewers). All things considered, I find it difficult to believe it's even on the bubble.

Idol's numbers down last night, but understandable. I never miss, but last night really saw no need to watch. Its 24 million on Tuesday are much more concerning. I don't think any performance shows dipped that low last season. Seems week to week it's declining some.
This year's talent, while heavily hyped, doesn't measure up to last year for me. Maybe that's starting to become a problem with other viewers as well.

Looking forward to Survivor tonight. One of the best seasons in a long time. Tough competition in the 8:00 hour tonight!

quote:

Primetime: The Last Lecture – A Love Story For Your Life (Viewers: #2, 8.21 million; A18-49: #2, 2.7/ 7). Worth noting for the Primetime special was growth out of Supernanny of 2.44 million viewers and 23 percent among adults 18-49.

I watched last night's Primetime and it was such a moving story. Primetime really works and pulls in healthy numbers as an occasional, floating series.

I also watched last night a taped copy of "Secrets of the Stars" and I must say, it wasn't as bad as I expected, though the host is an ungracious clod, especially after the way he humiliated the living icon from Star Trek, Mr. George Takei at the end of the program.

I found it odd that the program determines winners based on live voting from the east coast...how irrelevant this program must have seemed to those living in central and Pacific timezones.

And I do hope it lasts at least one more week as next weeks episode features Mr. Joshua Morrow from The Young and The Restless, who, curiously, also guest starred on this weeks Beauty and the Geek episode. Could Mr. Morrow be contemplating a vault into primetime?

quote:

Originally posted by dumont:
I also watched last night a taped copy of "Secrets of the Stars" and I must say, it wasn't as bad as I expected, though the host is an ungracious clod, especially after the way he humiliated the living icon from Star Trek, Mr. George Takei at the end of the program.

I found it odd that the program determines winners based on live voting from the east coast...how irrelevant this program must have seemed to those living in central and Pacific timezones.

And I do hope it lasts at least one more week as next weeks episode features Mr. Joshua Morrow from The Young and The Restless, who, curiously, also guest starred on this weeks Beauty and the Geek episode. Could Mr. Morrow be contemplating a vault into primetime?

Sorry, but it's already gone.

http://thefutoncritic.com/news.aspx?id=7605